Tricycle chassis

ABSTRACT

A tricycle chassis arranged for ease of operation of the tricycle, quick and easy changing of the rear tires, and having a novel basket-and-rear-fender assembly that can be quickly attached and removed from the chassis.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1966Manspergen.................

[72] Inventor Richard C. Mansperger Peoria, Ariz. [211 App]. No. 844,747

3,229,988 3,258,273 6/1966 Matthews.................,. 3,517,867 6/l970Fritz et al.........

[22] Filed July 25, 1969 [45] Patented July 13, 1971 [73] Assignee GabbyMig., Inc.

Glendale, Ariz- FOREIGN PATENTS 7/l958 GreatBritainMm...

Kenneth H. Betts Attorney-Willard L. Greene [54] TRICYCLE CHASSIS 3Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

280/261, 280/282, 224/32 R ABSTRACT: A tricycle chassis arranged forease of operation 862k 5/04 of the tricycle, quick and easy changing ofthe rear tires, and 280/261, having a novel basket-and-rear-fenderassembly that can be 202; 180/27; 224/3 1, 32 R quickly attached andremoved from the chassis.

[51] Int. [50] Field ofSearch.., 282,7.lS,7.l

PATENIEU Jun 3 ISYI SHEET 2 OF 2 1111 11 J 11 11 [III] A TTIIRNE YTRICYCLE CHASSIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains tocycles, and is particularly directed to improvements in tricycle chassisconstruction.

Heretofore, tricycle chassis constructions were deficient in theproblems created in changing the rear tires because of the interferenceof the basket and rear fenders of the bicycle. Further, prior deviceshad weak rear-wheel-and-axle assemblies and required outboard supportfor each of the rear wheels complicating the maintenance of the tricycleand making adjustments and keeping the rear wheels properly lined up.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention is toprovide a tricycle chassis with a minimum of interference in getting onand off of the tricycle.

Another object is to provide a tricycle chassis having a rugged rearaxle assembly with means for quickly and easily taking off and puttingon the rear wheels.

Still another object is to provide a unique demountable frame containingthe rear fenders and basket which may be quickly installed or removedfrom the chassis, with no special tools being required, and can beridden satisfactorily without the basket, basket frame, and fenders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of atricycle having a chassis incorporating the features of this invention,in partly exploded view to better show the essential elements.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the tricycleincorporating the features shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the rear axle assembly indicated by theline 33 on FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As an example of one embodimentof this invention, there is shown a tricycle having the usual frontwheel 10, the steering fork 11, and the handlebars 12, the upper end ofthe fork being pivotally mounted in the usual bearings in the bushing13. Fixed to the lower rear portion of the steering bushing 13 at 14 isthe frame 15 comprising a single tubular frame member indicatedgenerally at 15 having the rearwardly and downwardly curved portion 16which is connected through a sharp turn 17 to the substantiallyhorizontally rearwardly extending portion 18.

The rear end of the frame 715 is welded at 19 to the inner end 20 of theleft-hand tubular member 21 of the rear axle as sembly 22, shown best inFIGS. 3 and 4. The right-hand tubular member 23 is in axial alignment onthe common rear wheel axis 24 with the left-hand tubular member 21 andis rigidly connected therewith by an upstanding strut 25 welded to thetop of the tubular member 21 at 26 and the top of the tubular member 23at 27, the tubular members 21 and 23 having their inner ends 28 and 29axially spaced from each other to form a sprocket slot 30.

An idler axle 31 is journaled on suitable bearings 32 and 33 in theright-hand tubular member. A drive axle 34 is journaled on suitablebearings 35 and 36 in the left-hand tubular member 21, the inner end 37of the drive axle projecting into the slot 30 and having a sprocket 38suitably fixed thereto.

A bracket 39, FIG. 2, is fixed at a suitable intermediate point on therearwardly extending portion 18 of the frame 15 and has a horizontaltransverse pivot bolt 40 upon which is pivotally mounted the pedal crankbox 41 in which is journaled the conventional pedal crank shaft 42having the usual bicycle pedals 43. The box 41 is therefore adjustableabout the. bolt 40 to swing to required positions indicated by the arrow44, the box 41 being clamped in desired positions by the clamp screw 45threaded in the box 41 and operating in the arcuate slot on the bracket39, the purpose of which is to appropriately adjust the drive chain 46operating over the sprocket 38 and the usual sprocket wheel-47 of thepedal crank 42.

If desired, a change-speed transmission 48 may be provided between theaxle sprocket 38 and the pedal sprocket wheel 47. To this end there isprovided a transmission support box 49 having spaced vertical plates 50welded at 51 to the front portions of the axle assembly portions 21, 23,and 25. Bottom integral struts 52 and 53 tie the side plates 50together, the strut 52 being welded at 54 to the underside of theportion 18 of the frame 15. In this arrangement shown in FIG. 1, a chain46 from the sprocket 47 goes to the input sprocket 56 of thechange-speed transmission 48 while a second chain 57 connects the outputsprocket 58 of the sprocket of the transmission 48 to the sprocket 38.The transmission 48 is mounted in a conventional manner by its supportshaft 59 on the side plates 50 with the usual controls, not shown, beingprovided.

A seat support tube 60 is welded at its lower end to the portion 18 ofthe frame 15 and a rearwardly extending strut 61 is interconnectedbetween the upper end of the tube 60 and the axle assembly 25 to providerigidity for the seat 62.

An improved easily demountable rear-fender-andbasket assembly indicatedgenerally at 63 comprises a pair of V- shaped fender support frames 64and 65 joined together at their outer front portions 66 by thetransverse tie rod 67 having a forwardly projecting rod 68 terminatingin a clamp 69 arranged to be demountably connected to the seat supporttube strut 61. Fixed to the junction of the V-shaped frames 64 and 65are similar clamps 70 and 71 arranged to demountably grip around theouter ends 72 and 73 of the axle tubes 21 and 23.

The upper ends of the V-shaped frames have outwardly extending curvedpieces 74 to which the rear fenders 75 are fixed. A crosstie 76 betweenthe V-shaped members 64 and 65 serves to further stiffen these membersand provides a bottom support for the basket 77 which may also besecured at various other points by suitable clips, not shown, to theV-shaped frames 64 and 65 and the tie rod 67,

The rear wheels 78 are standard coaster-brake wheels with the innermechanism of the hubs 79 removed. Enlarged tapered serrated or splinedshaft spindles 80 positively drivingly engage in the normal boresurfaces 81 of the hubs 79 and are locked in place by suitable handwheel nuts 82 on the threaded studs 83 fixed in the outer ends of theaxle shafts 31 and 34.

I claim:

I. A three-wheel tricycle chassis including:

A. a front-wheel steering fork and handlebar assembly,

13. a steering bushing rotatably supporting the steering fork,

C. a frame comprising a single tubular member having,

D. a front end portion fixed to the lower end of the rear portion of thesteering bushing,

E. a rearwardly and downwardly curved portion extending from the frontend portion of the frame terminating in a sharp turn to a substantiallyrearwardly projecting portion,

F. and a substantially horizontally disposed rear portion of the framefixed at its front end to the rearwardly projecting portion of the sharpturn,

G. a rear axle assembly fixed to the rear end of the rear portion of theframe,

I-I. said rear axle assembly comprising a left-hand tubular memberhaving the front portion of its inner end fixed to the rear end of theframe,

l. a right-hand tubular member in axial alignment with and axiallyspaced from the left-hand tubular member forming a sprocket slot betweenthe inner ends thereof,

.l. and an upstanding strut fixed to the top portions of each tubularmember to maintain their alignment,

K. an idler axle journclcd is. the right-hand tubular member,

L. a drive axle journaled in the left-hand tubular member,

M. a sprocket fixed on the inner end of the drive axle located withinthe sprocket slot,

3. A three-wheel tricycle chassis as in claim 1 wherein the rear axleassembly includes axle shafts and axially demounta ble rear wheels onthe outer ends of the axle shafts, and a basket assembly including aframe demountably clamped to the outer ends of the rear axle assemblyadjacent the inside of the rear wheels, and rear fenders fixed to thebasket assembly located over the rear wheels.

1. A three-wheel tricycle chassis including: A. a front-wheel steeringfork and handlebar assembly, B. a steering bushing rotatably supportingthe steering fork, C. a frame comprising a single tubular member having,D. a front end portion fixed to the lower end of the rear portion of thesteering bushing, E. a rearwardly and downwardly curved portionextending from the front end portion of the frame terminating in a sharpturn to a substantially rearwardly projecting portion, F. and asubstantially horizontally disposed rear portion of the frame fixed atits front end to the rearwardly projecting portion of the sharp turn, G.a rear axle assembly fixed to the rear end of the rear portion of theframe, H. said rear axle assembly comprising a left-hand tubular memberhaving the front portion of its inner end fixed to the rear end of theframe, I. a right-hand tubular member In axial alignment with andaxially spaced from the left-hand tubular member forming a sprocket slotbetween the inner ends thereof, J. and an upstanding strut fixed to thetop portions of each tubular member to maintain their alignment, K. anidler axle journaled in the right-hand tubular member, L. a drive axlejournaled in the left-hand tubular member, M. a sprocket fixed on theinner end of the drive axle located within the sprocket slot, N. a pedalcrank on the rearwardly extending portion of the frame having a sprocketfixed thereto, O. and a drive chain interconnecting the sprockets.
 2. Athree-wheel tricycle chassis as in claim 1 wherein said chain driveinterconnecting the sprockets includes a change speed transmissionmounted on the rear portion of the frame and on the axle assemblytubular member and strut.
 3. A three-wheel tricycle chassis as in claim1 wherein the rear axle assembly includes axle shafts and axiallydemountable rear wheels on the outer ends of the axle shafts, and abasket assembly including a frame demountably clamped to the outer endsof the rear axle assembly adjacent the inside of the rear wheels, andrear fenders fixed to the basket assembly located over the rear wheels.